Railway-tie.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER S. MICHAEL AND CLARENCE G. MICHAEL, CF FORT HILL, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-TIE.

Specieaton of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,jELMER S. MI- CHAEL and CLARENCE G. MICHAEL,citizens of the United States, residing at Fort Hill, in the county ofSomerset, State` of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Railway-Ties; and we do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to railway ties, and more particularly to metalrailway ties, and has for its object to improve the construction andproduce a tie of this character which will not creep'7 eitherlongitudinally of the track or transversely thereto, and which will notbe lifted by the action of the frost, or other force which has atendency to elevate the tie, and whichwill also be effectually preventedfrom settling into the roadbed. f

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction as hereafter shown and described and thenspecifically pointed out in the claims, and in the drawings illustratingthe preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, and-Fig. 2 is a plan view with asection ofthe rail connected thereto. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal view in section onthe line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 4-4of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse section. Fig. 6 is a section on theline 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail of the rail clamp.-Fig. 8 is a perspective view from beneath of the rail brace.

The improved device comprises a body member formed with spaced sideslOll, ends 12-13, and a bottom 14, the bottom projecting beyond thesides and ends and providing an encompassing flange around all the sidesof the body, as shown. Formed in the sides 10-11 intermediate the endsthereof are relatively long depressions 15-16 preferably of flatV-shape, while similar depressions 17-18 are formed in the ends 12--13the end depressions being preferably with sharper angles than the sidedepressions.

Formed in the bottom 14 of the body is a longitudinal recess 19, whileapertures 20-21, preferably triangular, are formed through the bottom14. The depressions 15-16 and 17--18 receive `the tamping or movementtransversely of the rails, whileA the depressions 17 firmly support thetie from movement longitudinally of the rails or of the roadbed, whilethe recesses 19 and the apertures 20-21 serve to prevent either lateralor longitudinal movement of the tie, as will be obvious. The flangedportion' of' the bottom 14 bearing beneath the tamping material alsoserves an important purpose in preventing the tie from being lifted bythe action of frost or other like ower, while at the same time the areaof t e tie is materially increased and the tendency to be depressedcorrespondingly decreased.

The top 22 of the tie bears upon the upper edges of the sides 10-11 andthe ends 12-13, and is preferably provided with deending flanges 23which enables the top to e secured firmly to the sides and ends byrivets represented at 24. The top 22 is provided with transverserecesses 25-26 to receive the tie flanges of the rails indicated at 27,the recesses 25-26 being spaced apart to correspond with the gage of therails or the distance apart between their treads.

Formed through the top 22 adjacent to the recesses v25 are apertures 28,the apertures being preferably square and adapted to receive standards29 having projecting upper ends 30 to bear over the tie flanges, thestandards 29 having longitudinal perforations to receive the clamp bolts31, the clamp bolts passing through clips 32 bearing beneath the top 22and likewiseV provided with an aperture to receive the bolts 31, thebolts being secured in place by clamping nuts 33 bearing upon the u perends of the standards. By this simplel means, it will be obvious that avery strong clamp device is provided for securing the rails to the tie,and which may be tightened in event of their becoming loosened by simplysetting up the nuts 33. As many of these clamp devices vmay be employedas required, but generallyV two for each tie will be sufficient, asshown. Formed in the upper face of the top 22,

near one end is a shallow recess 34 having a central aperture leadingthrough the top 22 and iitting in this recess is a projection 35 on abase portion 36 of a curve brace 37, the latter bearing by its free endagainst the side of the head portion of the rail, and also underneaththe same. The members 236-37 are employed only at curves, and u on theouter rails of the curves, which are su jected to a very severe lateralstrain, and require to be iirmly braced.

The strains upon the curve members are very largely longitudinally ofthe tie, and the projecting portionl 35 therefore receives the brunt ofthese longitudinal strains, and thus relieves the clamp bolt by whichthe curve brace is connected to the tie from strains. This is animportant feature of the invention and adds materially to its utilityand elticiency. The tie is preferably formed from cast steel, but may beof pressed steel if preferred.

With the device thus constructed it Will be obvious that a veryeillicient, durable and strong tie is produced, which will not bedisplaced by the impact of the tra'liic passing over the roadbed, as thetie structure is rmly supported from movement in any direction, eitherlaterally or longitudinally of the roadbed, as before described.

- The device may be inexpensively manufactured, and of any requiredthickness or strength to correspond to the weight of traffic whichpasses over it.

The tie structure will be about the usual size which is eight feet longover all and about eight or ten inches square transversely,

but these dimensions may be varied, it is obvious, Without affecting theprinciple of the invention, and it is not therefore desired to limit theinvention to any particular dip mensions, or to any particular kind ofmaf terial.

the tie is tamped, and thus assists in anchoring the tie.

The improved tie may be employed for supporting switches by simplyincreasing its length, as is common with ordinary Wood ties, and it willbe obvious therefore that the improved tie may be employed in anylocality Where Wood ties can be used.

What is claimed, is

l A metal railway tie comprising a hollow body, a top detachablyconnected to the body and with transverse recesses to receive, the base`lianges of the rail, said top having apertures adjacent to saidrecesses, clamp devices com prising standards extending through saidapertures and projecting at one side to bear over the tie llange of therail, clips extending beneath the top oll the tie, and clamp boltsextending through Isaid stamlards` and the clips and with clamp nutsban-ing upon the top o'lI the standards.

2. A metal railway tie. comprising a body. a tcp formed upon said bodyand. provided with transverse recesses to receive the lie flanges olIthe rails, and with a cavity near one end., means l'or detachablyconnecting said top to the body, means lor clamping said rail to saidtop, and a curve brace comprising a base member having a depressionengaging the recess in said top and with a projecting brace bearingagainst the head ol the adjaM cent rail.

A metal railway tie comprising a hollow body having depressions in thesides and ends, a top detachably connected to the body and withtransverse recesses to receive the base 'llanges ol' the rails, said topl'ntving apertures adjacent to said depressions, clamp devicescomprising standards extending through said apertures and projecting atone side to bear over the tie flange ol' the rail, clips bearing beneaththe top ol' the tie, and clamp bolts extending through said stainlardsand the clips and with clamp nuts bearing upon the top oll thestandards.

'-1. A metal railway tie con'lprising a hollow body having dejnessionsin the sides and ends to receive the tamping material, a top formed uponsaid body and provided with transverse recesses to receive the tiellangcs ol' the rails, and with a cavity near one end, means fordetachably connecting said top to the body, means for clamping said railto said top, andv a curve brace comprising a base member having adepression engaging the recess in said top and with a projecting bracebearing against the head of the adjacent rail.

In testinlony whereof, we alliX our signatures, in presence ol' twowitnesses.

ELMEH S. MICHAEL. CLARENCE G. M lCl l Al@ l i.

Witnesses:

H. D. AL'rFA'rI-nin, MATILDA AL'rFA'rnnn.

